to fate, or not to fate
by xxEnnelAikuMeikaxx
Summary: In which Kuroko is a college student dragged to a local funfair by his idiotic group of friends and has a sudden encounter. [AkaKuro, mentions of AoKaga]


To fate, or not to fate

* * *

Kuroko Tetsuya is not the type of person who willingly goes out at nights. He'd very much prefer the usual; go home, take a long cool bath, change into fresh tulip-scented pyjamas, curl up on his bed with a book in hand and spend his time whiling away just like that without a single care in the world. No assignments, no rushing deadlines – nothing. Ah, the pleasures of the beginning of semester break. Though of course that wouldn't live too long, but he'd rather prefer settling his unorganized life to a pause and just spend time for himself, relaxing, maybe under the stars just to feel the night breeze against his skin.

His destiny today, however, truly is cruel.

Kuroko had placed everything from the top of his desk and into his bag, including his notebooks and pens, tablet and phone, mints and coffee candy, even his sketchbook. By the time he was finished his brown bag was full and formed a heavy round lump. He grunted at the weight when he lifted it off the floor, but the very thought of a relaxing night ahead of him was enough to make him endure the temporary pain.

He hasn't even taken four steps out the lecture hall when suddenly someone crashed into him, making him fall butt-first onto the sleek wooden floor. The thump of his bag was so loud it echoed, and for a while there he lets out a curse at the thought of his laptop probably being damaged by the impact. He does not have enough money right now to pay for the repair fee, not to mention. Have the gods decided to rain down hell onto him today?

"Kuroko-cchi!"

Yes, apparently the gods have decided to rain down hell onto him today.

He cringed at the throbbing of his buttcheeks before he makes effort to lift himself off the floor. The bag's weight is definitely dragging him down, pressing onto his back as he gets on all fours and starts getting on his feet. The _culprit,_ Kise Ryota the prince of annoying, merely swings back and forth on the balls of his feet, humming a tune. "Hey, hey, Kuroko-cchi! Guess what, guess what?"

He stumbles slightly, almost leaning backwards into another devastating fall, when miraculously he regains his balance. "What the hell, Kise-kun." He says with a grumble, glowering at the taller blond. His back is killing him, and he'd rather go straight home to his apartment than let himself suffer for the sake of listening to this blond little _bug_ blabber on and on about something that Kuroko might not even give a f _uck_ on.

But the blue-haired college student digresses; unwillingly, that is.

"Do you know what today is?" The blond says with eyes the pretty shade of amber sparkling under the fluorescent lights of the now empty lecture hall. Kuroko could almost feel his lecturer boring holes into the back of his head, most possibly prompting him to _take his blond friend and go, as he needs to prepare for the evening class._ So, Kuroko obliges to that silent scream of command, immediately walking past Kise and out into the crowded halls. Students with mountains of files, students with their precious and big DSLR cameras, students with earphones tucked into their ears, students rushing to their next class with tousled hair and sunken cheeks – there was a lot of people at Teiko University. This hall itself seemed to currently contain a whole new batch of freshmen which, when estimated, passes the average number of a hundred newbies.

There was a loud whine from behind him and Kuroko immediately moved over to somewhere else. Either Kise follows or not, that was him to decide and for Kuroko to not care. So, not wanting to give immediate attention to the blond friend that was Kise Ryota, Kuroko makes haste to enter the nearest men's toilet.

Inside was a refreshing smell of mint floor detergent; a change from the musky and heavy air from the hallways. Kuroko immediately goes to a sink to wash his hands, eyeing the bar of soap on the edge of the tap suspiciously before he hears the sound of a door slamming open. "Kuroko-cchi, don't just run away from me!"

He slips out an infuriated sigh. His shoulders are beginning to ache and his back is getting wet with the accumulating sweat. "What is it, Kise-kun? I'm in a rush now."

From the reflection in the mirror, he sees Kise leaning his back against one of the closed doors of the stalls, eyes boring into Kuroko's bag and the small smile still playing on his lips. He pouts and Kuroko has to look away to hide his scrunched up expression. "Aw, Kuroko-cchi is so mean! I just wanted to invite you to something."

He snaps back his gaze onto Kise's reflection. He turns the tap and the sound of falling water stops. "What is it already?"

Kise seemed to dig around in his pockets, from his jeans to the insides of his jacket even, and then his face lit up and he procured something from his chest pocket. Kuroko sees a flash of red, blue, green and pink on the three slips of papers in Kise's grip, but before the blond could say anything more regarding the objects in his hand, the door he was leaning on was pulled open and Kise fell right through and bumped into a rather startled senior.

Kuroko was grateful for his lack of presence because as soon as the senior known as Njimura reprehended Kise by the back of his collar and starts grumbling obscenities, he opts to leave the washroom quietly and with the silent promise that he'd lend his ears right after Kise escapes Nijimura's wrath.

That evening after Kuroko takes a long, cool bath to escape from the day's heat, his bag tucked against the feet of his bed with its contents ungraciously spilled onto the flooring, he dries his wet blue hair before dropping himself onto his bed. A pleased, tired sigh gets released from the crack between his lips, and before long his eyes start to droop down.

He felt a vibration somewhere nearby on the bed, so he promptly reached his hand to the source. He grasps a cold, square metallic thing – oh, it was just his cellphone. He blinks several times to clear the sleepiness from his eyes first before his gaze fixes on the words splayed in front of him.

 _1 text message from Kise-kun_

He was about to unlock the phone.

 _[Twitter] REALRyota has mentioned you in a tweet_

His brows furrowed.

 _[WhatsApp] Shararyota: Kurokocchiiiiiiiiii~~~! Where are youuuuuuuu! Why did you leav…_

He doesn't even try to suppress the little scowl.

 _[Tumblr] KiseKise-kii has reblogged your post and added: "Kurokocchiiiiiiiiiiiiiii…"_

He places the phone downwards, pushes the thing away to the edge of his bed where it continues to vibrate against the mattress.

Without a spark of remorse or pity, Kuroko falls asleep.

He was awoken from the sound of his door being slammed open and immediately footsteps thundered in. He was so surprised by the sudden intrusion that he couldn't even move a single muscle before the intruder grabs his arm and starts shaking him violently. "Oi, oi, oi! Don't wake him up like that, idiot!" Someone stomps into his bedroom and yells, the footsteps getting closer and making the floor rumble slightly at the weight, before the hand on his arm disappears. Kuroko slowly shifts his position to look at the two people who'd barged into his room, eyelids still heavy against his eyes, just threatening to close again and be lulled into another peaceful sleep.

But then there was a hand again, softly placed on his shoulder now, and starts to gently pat him. "Hey, Kuroko. Wake up, man."

The voice sounded gentle and crooning and he might just mistake it as a stranger because hell, when has he ever had someone who'd wake him up like his mother in his circle of friends? But then Kuroko was awake enough to recognize the voice – it was indeed the voice of the person with the potential to become a mother hen. He starts to speak. "Kagami-kun." His voice was raspy.

The blur and haziness melted away and soon he finds himself looking at his best friend's face. The guy was frowning, as if in worry, but then that went away too and he smiled softly. "Hey, bud. Rough day?" Kuroko answers with a simple nod.

"Sorry to say, but we've got plans for you tonight." Kagami pulls away from his view and starts heading towards Kuroko's closet where he throws the doors open, revealing rows of simple and dull-coloured clothes with pastel colours mixed in between every few articles of clothing. Kuroko shifts in his bed again when Kagami started surveying the clothes. Something shifted by the corner of his eyes and Kuroko turns to the source – to find Aomine, sulking against the doorframe with his hands rubbing against his forehead. "Aomine-kun?" Kuroko starts, sitting up now though he still covers himself with his beloved duvet. Aomine shoots him a small glare, as if saying that _he should be taken responsible for having this happen to his old pal,_ but then Kuroko looks at him with a blank stare and Aomine simply turns away with a cluck of the tongue.

Kagami pulls out a blue t-shirt with white stripes and a sleeveless grey hoodie jacket. "Kuroko, go wash your face and change into these. 'Kay?" He hangs the clothing onto the doorknob of the closet door. Then, Kagami kneels down and starts digging through the drawers by the bottom of the closet. Kuroko was still leaning back against the headboard, eyes simply fixated on Kagami's broad back, hair with the worst tangles and eyes still droopy and mouth dry.

When Kagami pulls back from his closet to see his friend not moving an inch from the bed, he lets out a sigh and goes over to tug his friend's arm. It took a few minutes, but Kuroko obliged and clambers from under the blanket and onto the floor, his feet digging into the carpet as he squirmed under the air conditioning. "Too cold?" Kuroko nods again, and this time Kagami snorts, mumbling things like how he can't imagine having a lithe body like Kuroko.

A swift kick to the shin was Kuroko's humble gift.

"Why," With a rather deadpan, flat as a board tone with murderous intent most possibly lacing his voice, Kuroko stands at the entrance of a crowded funfair with his group of friends by both his sides as if entrapping him to this fate. "Are we here?"

A hand rakes through the mess he calls his hair, and Kuroko sighs. "Midorima-kun, please stop."

The towering green-haired horoscope-induced friend of his looks down at him with a raised eyebrow. "Your hair is a mess. Does Kagami even brush it properly?" He pushes his glasses onto the bridge of his nose using his free hand. "Not that I particularly care, but this will affect our image, you know."

"Hey!" A growl came from the other side of the group.

Kuroko politely pushes the greenhead's hand away from his locks. He instead places his own hand, tugging and straightening any tangles that Kagami might have missed. Wouldn't it be a miracle if he had a mirror, he thinks to himself with an agitated little tone. No matter. It's not like anyone would notice him in the masses. If his friends were so persistent about his hair however, Kuroko would gladly enter the nearest washroom to escape from the throes of people just so he can fix his hair. But of course they all knew about his little to no presence to strangers, so they might not just give him the benefit of it.

A hand pulls on his arm and soon he finds himself stumbling through the iron gates. "Come on, Tetsu-kun! Let's have loads of fun," His friend, Momoi Satsuki, peers at him from under her long lashes with an adorable smile, her hair pinned back by pretty blue polka-dotted hairpins and tied into a side-ponytail. Kuroko remembers the manners his mother had taught him towards girls, so immediately he flashes a polite smile and agrees to her invitation. Kise's laugh trails right behind them, with Aomine's grunt and Kagami's awe-stricken voice, together Midorima's ramble about Cancer's luck for today and Murasakibara's suppressed excited giggles.

Once they were inside, the crowd only seemed to double in size and it almost made Kuroko take back about how it might be worth it to go to a funfair with his friends as a way to celebrate the end of semester.

By the clock struck nine, they had gone on a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, the spinning teacups, bumper cars and even the haunted house; where ghosts, ghouls, djinns and zombies practically littered the whole floor of it. Aomine was as white as a sheet, Kagami ended up punching several nearby ghosts out of surprise, Murasakibara's got fake spider webs on his face and hair, Midorima dropped his lucky item as an offering to a crawling infant ghost, Momoi kicked away a zombie peeking from under a bed and Kise ends up using his phone as a way to light up the paths. They had incredibly encircled around Kuroko, so the boy had no direct encounters with many intimidating mediums.

"Ah, I ran out of snacks," Murasakibara suddenly pipes up from behind the group. Everyone turns and sees that yes, the man's hands were completely void of the usual amount of confectioneries wrapped in colourful plastic packaging. He suddenly looked sullen, eyes looking downwards onto the dirt by his feet. Midorima, who was closest to Murasakibara, ends up looking at everyone in the eye.

It did not take long for everyone to dig through their pockets (and in Momoi's case, her packed purse), unluckily pulling out nothing that could please Murasakibara's unending stomach. They exchange glances because _oh,_ they _know_ the consequences of Murasakibara without his snacks. Cranky, childish, and definitely emotional – it was a side of Murasakibara that's revealed through his withdrawal of consumption of snacks.

And then Kuroko caught a little child walking by with a cloud of cotton candy. He cranes his neck to look towards the direction of where the kid had come from and sure enough, there was apparently a row of food stalls not too far away. Feeling relieved that they would stay on the safe side of Murasakibara's mood swings, he immediately suggests they go fill themselves up with the food from the stalls.

It wasn't long for Kuroko to be separated from his friends.

And it didn't take a long time either for him to find the food that he's been yearning for since the past two weeks. There was the alluring smell of milk chocolate that invades his nostrils once he steps closer to the stand. People were absolutely flocking towards the stand, what a shame – but he recalls the moment from Seirin when he had to buy the legendary Iberian pork sandwich, and thus he puts the strategy to a start.

He slips in between two girls, one stretching to get her order and the other hunched up over her phone and having an immense fit of giggles. Kuroko glances over out of curiosity and sees text on the screen – fanfictions. A small amused smile on his face, he carefully treads through a little girl and a grandmother, both enjoying a bite from their respective crepes. It didn't take long for him to come up at the very front, overlooking the collection of strawberries as red as it ever can be, kiwis, orange slices and even jars of marmalade and jam. He spots the cream and Pocky sticking out a plastic package.

"Welcome," A voice startles him from his endeavour of surveying the items displayed on the white-clothed table. He immediately rises his gaze from the fruits and confectionary to see a man, looking around the same age as he, with hair of tousled fury red and eyes the warmest, bloodiest shade. On his sculpted lips formed a smile, polite and natural, but there were the slightest signs of exhaustion even behind it. His eyes were fixated on Kuroko, and that surprised him, as even since his Seirin years, the cafeteria ladies always took a moment or two before finally realizing he's there holding his lunch and about to pay.

It was either his low presence is unbecoming of him, or this man has the sharpest eyes to have landed on his figure.

"Would you like something?" The man went directly in front of Kuroko, hands propped onto the table as he leans forward and focuses his gaze on Kuroko and him only. The scalding gaze made Kuroko feel just a tad bit uncomfortable and aware, then soon he starts fidgeting and moving his feet around the dirt under his shoe soles. "What do you have?" Kuroko asks, steeling himself upright and staring straight into the crimson orbs.

He hates to admit it, since this is a _man_ he's thinking about; but this guy is drop dead gorgeous. Kuroko particularly liked the eyes and hair – it was a beautiful, unnatural shade, and Kuroko found it captivating.

"—there's also the usual, cream and strawberry, a simple classic. Which one suits your taste?"

Oh crap, did he actually miss an entire explanation of what's on the menu just by staring at one man? What's becoming of him other than having his presence immediately recognized? Kuroko could feel his hands becoming just a tad bit sweaty, so he wipes them against his slacks and hopes the man didn't see it. "Um, what would be your recommendation?"

The red-haired man seems surprised by the question, judging from the fraction of a widening of his eyes as he assessed Kuroko, trailing up and down the college student's figure. Kuroko feels just a bit insecure as the man continues to look at him, as if trying to find every nook and cranny of his body – or how his vulgar friend Aomine would say, 'stripping him using his eyes'. It took a short while before the redhead cups his chin in wonder then with an almost confident little nod he sets off to get the ingredients for Kuroko's crepe.

As the cooking took place at the back of the stall, Kuroko is unable to view the things the man's currently doing. He just sees a carton of milk, a packet of flour, a packet of sugar, a little plastic Tupperware filled to the brim with powder and two bottles of different sizes; one big and slender, the other small and petite. He could see how the redhead combined several of the ingredients first and used an electronic mixer to mix them together. A batter, Kuroko thought as he raises an eyebrow in wonder. So he's creating a new crepe batter instead of the original? Strange.

"Isn't he something?" He hears a girl coo beside him. Thinking the girl was talking to him, Kuroko glances her way – only to see her excitedly whispering into her friend's ear, cheeks the shade of pink that stretches across their faces and smiles stretching to their ears as they stare at something in the food stall. They sigh dreamily simultaneously, and Kuroko's curiosity is driven. He follows their gaze, and unsurprisingly they landed on the man that had taken Kuroko's order. He's heating up the crepe pan, watching the electronic mixer all the while he does so.

Kuroko sees the girl flip her phone open by the corner of his eyes. "He's so handsome!" The friend suppresses a squeal as she presses on a button. The phone makes a 'click!' sound, but thankfully no flashes burned Kuroko's eyes. "Oh my god, I got a photo of his back! How long have we admired his back?"

"Since forever," The girl chimes in, laughing slightly as she takes out her phone as well and starts scrolling through pictures. Most of them were of the redhead. "I'm so happy he made a full appearance, though! I _love_ that scissors scene!"

"Ah, this isn't good for my heart! Should we leave? No no, we shouldn't leave… But… I can't..!"

"Let's hang around a while longer! Let's get some crepes, okay? Who knows, hey? Maybe he'll serve _us_."

"You are making me have a nosebleed."

"We are deep in this Hell, my friend. A nosebleed is nothing."

Kuroko almost let out an amused chuckled that could give him away to eavesdropping their conversation. He hears the continuous clicks of phones, possibly more pictures or just fangirls screaming their minds off using the Internet language online. He'd like to read whatever post was made, though, because he'd certainly like to know why they're getting so fussed up over a guy in a crepe stall.

Okay, maybe the said guy in a crepe stall is no ordinary guy and very much deserves the squealing admirers, but seriously, what's making him so known? The girls do mention about an appearance, and a scene… Perhaps he's an actor? No, Kuroko would've known local stars. It wasn't that big of a country, after all. Maybe a popular user at NicoNicoDouga? Yes, perhaps that was why so many girls are flocking to this stall.

"Hello," A voice startles him from his thoughts again. Kuroko expected the redhead to be back with his order, but instead in front of him stands a… girl? No, judging from the height and the slight bulge of muscles under the long sleeves, this is definitely a boy. Yet, his face looks so feminine but charming, and it's a wonder if all the men that work in the crepe stall are attractive. "Have you made an order?"

"Yes, I have." Kuroko replies, nodding. Sweat was beginning to trickle down his forehead, and he reaches up to wipe it away using the back of his hand. Albeit so, a napkin was shoved into his face and he looks up at the man before him who wears a friendly little grin.

"It's no good to wipe your face with your hand. Don't want you growing acne now, do you?"

With an encouraging nudge of the napkin, Kuroko gingerly grasps it into his hands and mutters an audible thank you. "So, what's your name?" The man asks and Kuroko looks up at him. He wipes the napkin across his forehead before creasing it in hesitation.

"Um…?"

"Mibuchi Reo. It's fine, I'm not a hooligan," The man laughs a twinkly laugh, like the chiming bells during a summer breeze. Kuroko liked it, he found it pleasant compared to the boisterous, exaggerated howls of laughter often erupted from his closest friends. The man, Mibuchi, tucks a hand onto his hip as he says the following words, "I'm just curious about you."

Kuroko didn't get it. Was there something about him that appealed to these people? The crepe stall is strange. "I'm Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Well, Kuroko," The redhead came sauntering from behind Mibuchi, his hand holding out a freshly made crepe with whipped cream as the contents together with fresh blueberries and strawberry slices, along with a stick of chocolate Pocky. "Your crepe is done."

The two girls beside Kuroko figuratively died in the inside as the man they admire had come closer to their proximity. Kuroko reaches out for the crepe and holds the end of it with his hand, careful not to let their skin touch accidentally because he starts feeling afraid of what the two girls beside him are capable of as they stare at him with wide, curious and almost accusing eyes. "Thank you," He says with a polite little bow thrown in the mix. _Always mind your manners, Tetsuya-san,_ his mother had said. "How much does this cost?"

The redhead seemed to have done the Math, for the edges of his lips curl up into the slightest of smirks as he crosses his arms across his chest. Kuroko can't help having his eyes land on the arms and notice the flexed muscles across the stretch of skin. Kuroko blinks and pushes back the urge to let out an "Oh," when he spots the ghost of a tanline under his sleeve. "Approximately, the amount you have to pay is merely a thousand and six hundred yen. Sounds a good enough bargain?"

Kuroko blinks. "That's a reasonable price. Even after making a whole new batter?"

The man cocks his head to the side, the irises of his scarlet eyes dilating. "Hm? You just seem like a person of… different taste. It was by my account to make a new batter, so I shouldn't possibly hold you responsible."

"Aw, Sei-chan, how adorable," Mibuchi cooed, draping an arm around the redhead's shoulders and places a hand on top of his own cheek. "You don't normally _make_ a batter for a specific customer, you know? Is there something Reo-nee needs to know?"

The man across of Tetsuya shoots the taller, possibly older man a nasty little glare, with eyes narrowed and the flickering of gold in his left eye. Kuroko thought it was his imagination, a trick of light – but then the fluorescent lights can't possibly cause any effect like so. He shrugs it off. 'Sei-chan' turns back to Kuroko, expression now rather neutral and passive. "Try eating it. If it is not to your taste, I will dispose of it."

Kuroko was taken aback by the redhead's words. Getting rid of something just because he isn't satisfied with it? He couldn't possibly do that. Not when the guy's made a whole new batter for him now, took time willingly to make a crepe based on a single customer. He was about to speak as a rebut, but the redhead shot him a look as if he d _ared_ the college student to do so, and that was enough to make Kuroko shrink back.

The crowd began to dissipate when the clock at the middle of the funfair rang the bell for an amount of ten times. "Hurry, Kuroko, the funfair will be closed." The redhead says, gaze boring holes into Kuroko just as his lecturer had done earlier today. Ignoring the little shivers through his spine, Kuroko takes a bite of the crepe.

The taste exploded inside his mouth – the softness of the whip cream, the shocking sweet tinge of the strawberry and… the pleasant, sweet taste of vanilla against his tongue. It was sweet, probably up to Murasakibara's tastes, but Kuroko did not mind a bit as he took another bite. The taste is overpowering the whip cream, even. The vanilla can be so clearly distinguished. He looks at the redhead and sees the proud little smirk on his face as Kuroko gulps down the mouthful. His cheeks suddenly feel warm, probably due to the presence of vanilla. "I trust it's to your liking?" The redhead asked, leaning over to hold Kuroko's chin between his index finger and thumb, tilting the blue-haired student's face upwards.

The move surprised Kuroko, but then the guy swipes his thumb across Kuroko's lips. A shiver goes through his spine and he's unable to suppress the little gasp that escapes his lips. Kuroko's hand grips the bottom of the crepe, almost squeezing out its contents, before the redhead, still holding his chin with gentility, wraps the fingers of his free hand around Kuroko's, nudging the crepe towards the boy's lips as he does so. "Go on," He says, voice low and almost sounding seductive. "Enjoy it."

Mibuchi stood by the sidelines to watch the events happening in front of him until it came to a close, when the crepe is finally finished and Kuroko's face becomes as flushed as the strawberries he'd consumed. He lets out a sigh and looks downwards. The act affected him, yes it did.

Mibuchi would have to acknowledge the fact that vanilla is, indeed in one way or another, a form of aphrodisiac.

Kuroko Tetsuya was not the type of person who willingly goes out at nights. He'd very much prefer the usual; go home, take a long cool bath, change into fresh tulip-scented pyjamas, curl up on his bed with a book in hand and spend his time whiling away just like that without a single care in the world. No assignments, no rushing deadlines – nothing. Ah, the pleasures of the beginning of semester break. Though of course that didn't live too long, but he'd rather prefer settling his unorganized life to a pause and just spend time for himself, relaxing, maybe under the stars just to feel the night breeze against his skin.

His destiny yesterday, however, truly was cruel.

Kuroko Tetsuya awakes to find himself shirtless and with dirty boxers.

Kagami was at the kitchen frying the bacon and making sunny-side-up eggs on a pan for each, the crackling sound of frozen bacon being thawed fills the quiet morning atmosphere. He pours just a little bit of barbeque sauce onto the bacon, just the way he liked it, and started flipping it. The eggs were cooked, so he scoops them up using his spatula and places the both of them on their respective plates. He pushes the bacon strips around on the pan before deeming them done and turns off the fire. He lets the bacon cool for just a bit before pushing them onto the two coral plates on the counter beside the stove.

A loud thump could be heard from across the hallway and Kagami cranes his neck over his shoulder. He thinks over how maybe he should check up on his housemate, but then the thought flies over his head when the guy himself comes stumbling through the kitchen doors with a rather… pink face and ridiculous bed hair, as usual. Kagami places the two plates down on the table. "G'morning, sleepyhead."

Kuroko merely nods soundlessly at Kagami's greeting before plopping himself on one of the stools. Kagami opens the fridge and surveys the contents – milk? Ew, outdated. Yogurt drink? What's Momoi's brand doing in here? Mango juice, hell yeah. He grabs the carton of mango juice and swiftly grabs two glasses from the overhead cupboard before sauntering to the table and pouring the juice into the glasses. Oh, yeah, just look at that refreshing drink. Kagami was parched; very.

"Kagami-kun." Kuroko had merely called out his name when Kagami started wolfing down the bacons, savouring the taste and the barbeque sauce that pools around it. He swears to himself to make a bigger breakfast portion. He would've, actually, if Aomine hadn't invited him to a basketball date so early in the morning. Kagami looks up from his breakfast to signal at Kuroko to continue. "How did you find me yesterday?"

Kagami raises a questioning eyebrow. Well, hell, they were all panicking over how everyone had lost sight of the little blue-haired guy in the middle of a funfair in the middle of a fucking night. They looked almost everywhere except the food stalls because they thought they knew Kuroko better than to spend his time with food. Kagami was walking around the food stalls with Murasakibara at one point, though, because the giant can't seem to have enough of the salt and pepper squid dish some stall called Yosen served. They were walking aimlessly after buying a plate of it in hopes of reuniting with the others when Murasakibara spotted Kuroko's hair from a mile away at a food stall. "Murasakibara found you," He said, echoing his thoughts of recalling last night's events. "At a stall. You were… Listening to a guy talk, I think. I don't know, you just stood there. We came over, and the guy told us you probably need to get home, so we did. Your face was all red so we thought you had a fever."

Kuroko looks down at his plate. Should he tell Kagami? Kagami _is_ gay, after all… Maybe it won't be much of a surprise for him to hear that Kuroko's been painfully turned on by a random guy at a crepe stall, who actually seems to notice it and teased him towards the point that Kuroko had gotten an almost erotic dream during his sleep. Kuroko recalls the feeling of his thumb over his lips, the close proximity they had shared, the fingers that ran through his hair playfully, the feeling of his fingers slipping through the gaps of Kuroko's fingers, almost lacing them together as he continues feeding Kuroko the crepe, almost sensually what with his moving hand up and down Kuroko's figure that sends tinges of warmth down to his groin –

He figuratively slaps himself.

"That was a really naughty move, Sei-chan," Mibuchi calls out from the trunk of the van as he loads the vehicle with the bunch of boxes of extra ingredients and supplies. It was almost full, but thank God the two of them were the only ones using the car as transport. Mibuchi briefly wonders what could've happened if Nebuya and Hayama were here – extra hands to help serve the hungry ladies yesterday, true, but they couldn't all exactly fit into this van if not for all the supplies. Mibuchi lifts the small box of bottles of vanilla extract and slides it onto the very top of the heap. He looks over at Akashi Seijuro, uprising celebrity and model known to all women, walking towards him with his bag in tow.

"I couldn't help it," Akashi says, the edges of his lips tilting up into a devilish and cunning little smile. He goes to the passenger's seat of the van and pulls the door open, sliding in and settling his bag on top of his lap. He was pulling on his seatbelt when Mibuchi jumps into the driver's seat and immediately twists the keys. The van came to life and soon they pulled away from the parking lot – away from the funfair that was closing down for the week.

"Tut, tut," Mibuchi shakes his head languidly, steering the car into a corner and entering the highway. A bunch of cars were already on the road, typical morning of a normal weekday where adults go to work and children go to school. "I have to say, he was rather cute. You were lucky, Sei-chan."

Akashi stares out the window and lets out a short-lived laugh. He was amused, but at the same time he was not. He felt slightly bitter, but he knew better than to underestimate his own abilities. He will find Tetsuya soon; it's a small world, after all. If he found Tetsuya just the day yesterday, then he will the day tomorrow and the day next. "So, what are your plans today?" Mibuchi asks, pushing on the gas and passing by a Toyota car.

"An audition and next a women's talk show," Akashi absentmindedly recites from memory of his schedule. It was loose for now, but when he makes a name for himself, it'd be tighter than ever – and he was ready for such challenges. "After that, I'm free."

Mibuchi sends a knowing glance at Akashi as he takes the right road of the fork and drives them into a suburban area. "You're not going to stalk Kuroko-kun, are you?"

Akashi pauses and Mibuchi notices this. He recalls the round blue eyes that resemble the beautiful unending sky, the crown of fluffy blue hair that looks soft to the touch and the milky pale skin covered with a thin sheen of sweat. He remembers the pink that dusted the boy's cheeks – and sure enough, Mibuchi could see why Akashi treasures this boy in his life.

Why Akashi treasures his long lost cousin, his long lost beloved.

After all, knowing each other since childhood only to get separated the moment they step through the gates of middle school, Akashi is not one to easily let go. Moving to Kyoto, isolated by the student body as if a lone magnificent God – he had craved for Kuroko's touch, for his company.

And he'd found the source of his passion, his happiness just yesterday – at a food stall, doing voluntary work to get the company merit points.

Kuroko had unbelievably forgotten Akashi, yet his body had not. If he had completely gone through the process of moving on, he would directly reject Akashi's advances. Yet he did not.

Akashi unzips his bag and digs around only to recover a sleek iPhone 6. He unlocks the phone by swiping his finger across the screen, and is immediately greeted by the shock of blue.

A younger Kuroko Tetsuya sits behind his phone screen, smiling ever so happily with the adorable pink cheeks and messy blue locks. Akashi strokes the screen with his index finger, a relaxed and loving smile stretched right on his lips.

"You know me well, Mibuchi."

The human psychology is interesting.

Perhaps that's why Mibuchi understands Akashi's longing for Kuroko.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

wHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST WRITE FOR THREE TO FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT wHat The Hell it's 12 am my mom is mad at me and my homework lies forgotten oh such a merry night indeed.


End file.
